About Us
Hailing from high up in the Austrian Alps, this duo of European Red Seal Chefs have a knack for incorporating beer in their Trendy dishes. Their years of success as catering and Restaurant Entrepreneurs in Banff & Canmore have created a winning team.
Chef Harry Griesser
The Canadian “Father of Turducken” combines his extensive collection of Old World European recipes with his Passion for Trend Foods to bring culinary joy to Calgarians. Between travelling the world for culinary influence and hosting massive local events, Chef Harry runs a seriously fast kitchen in an Eco-Friendly way.
Markus Aschauer
As a born leader, Markus manages the team with an iron fist and a light heart! His cheeky sense of humour invites their respect, his successful history in the biz demands it.
What makes Markus grin? Making you smile! His comedic approach to food and life has brought him much success in creating & hosting all kinds of food and beer pairing events – Music, Atmosphere and Menu- a Triple Threat!
Big Rock Grill – From John Gilchrist’s Book: My Favourite Restaurants Calgary, Canmore and beyond
In 1997, when Big Rock opened its new brewery and restaurant in the western reaches of the city, it stood all alone in a field. You could see it for miles. And with the restaurant being the only one in the area, it was very popular. Then warehouses, fast-food outlets and industrial structures grew up around the brewery, hiding the green-topped buildings from passersby. But because of the beer-themed decor, the food of Chef Klaus Wockinger and a long bar poured the freshest Big Rock possible, the grill remained popular.
But time marches on and at the time of writing this book, Big Rock Grill was undergoing major changes. Wockinger had retired, decamping to Kelowna. New owners Harry Griesser and Markus Aschauer had taken over the restaurant, and together with Big Rock, were in the process of renovating the 100-seat room. The plan, which should be complete by the time you read this, was to create a comfy, contemporary pub-like atmosphere with banquettes and booths, padded leather seats and that long bar, renoed to have a rustic, beer-keg tone but still featuring Big Rock’s products.
I slipped in for a pleasant lunch before the wrecking ball hit and found that Griesser (formerly of Canmore’s tasty Railway Deli) and Aschauer (who owned a Canmore catering company) have kept the Continentally inspired, contemporary fare. So my minestrone was still hearty, a chicken pot pie was laced with vegetables and chunks of chicken, and the cheesecake was thick and saucy with strawberries, a creamy-rich finish to my meal. You, of course, may want to finish with a brew instead. Nothing wrong with that.
